Going back to the beginnning
by nighttime writer
Summary: Brennan has sucessfully raised Richard, his and Shalimar's son one handedly, but when called upon by Mutant X, is he and his son both ready to face a past they thought was already behind them? RR PLZ
1. Default Chapter

A/N: New thought, first Mutant X story so don't be too cruel. Flames unacceptable but constructive criticism always welcomed. (ps read bottom a/n)  
  
Name: Richard Thomas Mulwray Age: 16 Parents: Brennan Mulwray and Shalimar Fox Eyes: Brown (the twinkle) Hair: Short and curly, jet black color Height: 5'10  
  
I ran home from school already fifteen minutes late for curfew. My dad's going to have my ass this time. It was the fourth day in a row I was home after dinner, which was usually around 5. I tried calling him on my cell phone, but it died, and dad doesn't trust me with keys. I jumped the bushes growing in the front lawn as a fence and ran up the drive way hoping desperately my dad was late coming out of work.  
  
"DAD YOU HOME?!" I screamed once inside. The lights were off so that's a good sign.  
  
I live with just my dad. Don't ask me who my mom was because I don't remember her. There's no pictures of her around the house either so that doesn't help the situation none. My dad's a workaholic. He's always at work or he's always bringing his work home. On rare occasions, he'd have some free time where he and I just hang out.  
  
No one answered so it means he was still at work. I turned on the hall way lights and the setting sun was enough light for the kitchen and living room. I staggered to the kitchen to get water and to start on some late night dinner. Figured I could start my homework and maybe later I could eat some dinner with dad before I go and hit the sack.  
  
Just as I finished cutting the tomatoes the house phone rang. I lowered the volume of the stereo and grabbed the phone on it's fifth ring.  
  
"Yellow, Mulwray residence, it's Richard," I said trying to balance the phone on one ear and separating the noodles with the other.  
  
"This is Adam do you remember me?!" The voice on the other end sounded excited. I felt bad for not remembering an Adam in my life. "Probably not, you were still a baby last time I saw you. Anyways is Brennan home?"  
  
"Naw, he's at work right now. You want to leave a message though, I'll make sure he gets it," I said grabbing a piece of paper.  
  
"Tell him Adam Kane called concerning he-knows-what. You sound all grown up now Rich; I can't believe we all missed it. Well I have to go now; hopefully I'll see you soon." With that the guy hung up.  
  
That guy had a one on one conversation with himself. I said ten words tops, and the rest was all him. A couple of hours later, I heard the front door open and slam shut and my dad walked into the kitchen with a briefcase jammed pack.  
  
My dad's probably in his late thirty's early forty's. He's tall with brownish black hair and intense brown eyes. He's tall and muscular. He's got his share of problems right now, and he won't talk about his past. He most of the time cool unlike other fathers, and he taught me a lot of knowledge on how to survive on the streets. Of course that one's come back to bite him in the ass so many times I bet he's regretted it, but oh well. Another thing about my dad that's unlike so many other dads is that mine has 'special' powers.  
  
He has the power to manipulate electricity. It's like something generated from inside of him or something. I've got powers like him, only mine isn't really something to do with electricity or something. I could move things with my head, like when I see it in my mind, I can move it and it would actually move. No I haven't told anyone about it, but I think my dad knows.  
  
"Hey dad, I cooked us some dinner," I looked up from my homework smiling.  
  
He looked absolutely wiped out. I wished he would quit working himself half to death. Sometimes I think he works himself so hard to get away from me. It's like he sees someone else besides me every time he stays with me for a long period of time.  
  
He was on his way to go feed the dog when I stopped him. "Dad I already fed Rocky, and I walked him too. Why don't you go sit down at the table and I'll get everything ready?" It was more like an order than a question.  
  
He smiled showing the dimples he and I shared. He sorted through the mail taking the bills and throwing everything else in the trash. "What would I do without you Ritchie boy?"  
  
"Live here without total chaos," I teased. I set down two plates of spaghetti, one for him and one for me on the kitchen table. I stared out into the now dark ocean watching the waves come splashing onto shore. It surprised me how quiet it was tonight.  
  
"So how was baseball?" He asked trying to make conversation halfway through his second plate.  
  
"Some dude called Adam Crane...or was it Kane...Oh well, whoever he is, yeah he called," I said through mouthfuls of spaghetti stirring away from baseball.  
  
"ADAM KANE?" Dad almost spit out his drink. Wow, who would have thought his name would have such an impact.  
  
"Yeah he says he was calling because you know what. So what do you know that he knows that I don't know but will know?" I asked him curiously.  
  
"He knows something that I know but you'll never know," He smiled teasing me. "Now you never answered my question. How come your coach called me during work today?"  
  
"I'm thinking of quitting the team..." I said knowing full on well a lecture was going to start.  
  
"Your coach tells me your grades been slipping, and you got into another fight with someone on the team," He said sternly. "Is that true?"  
  
"My grades are fine, and that bastard was asking for it," I stated in my defense.  
  
"Is that why when I called your teachers they say you've been giving them the excuse family emergency for two weeks right now? Oh yeah by the way, your teacher told me to tell my wife get well soon," My dad sad sarcastically. "Richard, I don't have a wife. What's that bullshit about family emergency? Why are you really falling behind in school?"  
  
"Baseball?" I tried.  
  
"Nice try. Come on Rich, we've been over this already. Fighting isn't the answer to nothing. And lying? Rich if you want me to treat you like an adult I know you can be then act like it. You already know fighting isn't going to solve anything and yet you still do it. And you know that you have to try in high school. If you don't get into..." Dad started.  
  
"Dad stop nagging me I know," I sighed picking at my food. All of a sudden I lost my appetite.  
  
"If you know then why do you still do it?" My dad asked me setting his fork down.  
  
"I don't know," I said now getting annoyed.  
  
"That's because you don't know," He started.  
  
"Ok I don't know get off my back will you!" I said annoyed putting down my fork. I grabbed my books, ran up to my room and slammed the door shut.  
  
**No ones POV**  
  
Brennan winced as he heard the door slam and seconds later hard rock music blared through the closed door of his son's room. He sighed defeated running his fingers through his hair. His son reminded himself of...well himself so many years ago. Yet, Rich also reminded him of Shalimar. The stubbornness to listen to authority, and the need to be fiercely independent often made him realize the hidden feral within.  
  
He gathered the plates and placed them in the sink leaving them to clean up later and went into the living room to relax. Coming home after a hard day's work was easier when it was coming home without any tension in the house. Lately it hasn't though. Normally he and Richard would get along fine, but lately Rich has been growing.  
  
He decided to call Adam back, maybe get his mind off work, and Rich. They both needed to calm down, but when he called Adam he could barely hear him with the music still blaring full blast.  
  
"ADAM! HOLD ON ONE SECOND!" Brennan screamed into the phone. "RICHARD, TURN THAT MUSIC DOWN BEFORE I GO UP THERE AND 'FIX' IT MY SELF!" Brennan screamed at the top of his lungs. 'Jesus Christ I have to shout to be heard in my own damn house' Brennan thought.  
  
Immediately the music turned down considerably and Brennan could think again. "Sorry about that Adam. Richard decided to TRY AND MAKE ME DEAF DOWN HERE!" Brennan screamed the last part of Rich to hear.  
  
"How's the kid? I talked him earlier. Wow his voice already changed. I bet he's growing up to be just like his old man," Adam said trying to make small talk.  
  
"Let's hope not," Brennan said remembering all the mistakes he made back in high school. "So what's new Adam? It's not everyday I come home and my son tells me you called."  
  
"Well hard to believe but the Dominion wants, and needs us once again," Adam said more excitedly.  
  
"No kidding. Thought they said they wouldn't need us ever," Brennan remembered their last uttered words to Mutant X causing them to go their separate ways.  
  
"Yeah well it seems they do need us once again. I called Jesse and Lexa. They are on their way as we speak," Adam said carefully avoiding Shalimar's name.  
"Adam, I don't know with work and all..." Brennan was about to continue when he realized it was too quiet at his house. "Hold on Adam."  
  
Rich was dead tired so he decided to just give up on the music and just watch some television in his room quietly. Maybe he would get in less trouble. "RICH!" Richard heard his father call.  
  
Sighing he stepped out of his room and entered the loft overlooking the living room. He saw his dad was on the phone lying down on the couch. "Yeah pop?" He looked down into his dad's brown eyes.  
  
"Are you alive up there?" Brennan asked now hearing the television.  
  
"Yeah pop," Rich said going back to his room and this time leaving it ajar.  
  
"K I'm back, Adam. Like I said before I don't know about it. You know with work and not to mention Rich. He's at a rough age right now and I don't know if..." Brennan started.  
  
Adam knew Brennan would you Richard as an excuse not to return. He already had it carefully planned out. "I know he's been getting into trouble. He'll be with other people who do care about him. Besides it would give you a break from single parenting. We could send him to a new high school his transcript and record erase he could start all over. Please come Brennan it would mean a lot to me, and to Jesse and Lexa."  
  
Brennan looked up to see the color bounce off the wall from Rich's room. Could moving maybe solve his attitude problem? Would he be able to face the past? Would he be able to face her? He sighed knowing he would need Rich's opinion, but why ask him when he didn't even know what was going on in the first place. All Richard's life he had tried to hide his past. Now all of a sudden Adam wants Rich to come back and live his past.  
  
"RITCHIE BOY, GET DOWN HERE FOR A SECOND WILL YOU SON!" Brennan screamed at the top of his lungs. "Ok Adam, but he has to agree with it too." "What's up?" Rich asked coming down the stairs.  
  
"What do you say to a little vacation?" Brennan searched his son's own intense brown eyes for answered. It sparkled and lit up.  
  
"HELL YEAH! ABOUT TIME WE GET OUT OF THIS CASA!" Rich said excitedly.  
  
Brennan laughed and went back to his conversation. "Well Adam, I guess we're coming."  
  
Author's note: Well this is kind of similar to my The fast and the furious fanfiction. But also I would like to thank Candian-chic 14 for her story inspired me to start this one. Please review if you want my muse to stay for awhile.  
  
Liz 


	2. No powers

A/N: Ok people, thanks for the reviews!! Thank you to tigereyes320 who made me realize Brennan's age. WoOpsies!! Oh well. Ok who wants to tell me everyone else's age?? Anyways Flames un-welcomed, as always, but constructive critiscm always good. I'm going to get that spelling right by the end of the story. Oh well on with the story. As for the Shalimar issue...you'll see ::angelic smile::  
  
"Um dad...we're in the middle of nowhere," Rich said looking out the front window of the Nissan 350z to see a mountain and a surrounding forest.  
  
Brennan chuckled while Rich squirmed obviously feeling uneasy about the outdoors. Rich, like Brennan hated the outdoors more than anything. Bugs and the guys didn't really get along. Last time they went camping Rich came home with a bee sting on his eye and Brennan with poison ivy. They weren't in a hurry for a repeat of their last camping trip.  
  
"Nope, we lived here for a close six years. You lived here for two years. Yeah, those were the good old days." Brennan said starting the car again.  
  
Rich looked closer at the mountain trying to find where his dad was talking about. And again he saw nothing. "Yeah dad, you lived in a cave for six years?" Rich asked unsure if his dad lost his sanity.  
  
"Yeah you can say that," Brennan smirked. He grabbed his cell phone and dialed Sanctuary's number, a number he memorized all those years ago. "Yeah Adam, open the lower garage, we're here...we're home," Brennan said excitedly as their car entered a familiar clearing.  
  
"Yeah I've got a dream like this before. Watch a garage will show up out of..." Rich started when the garage appeared out of the mountain. "I'm dreaming..." Rich slapped himself as if trying to wake himself up.  
  
"You're not dreaming, Sport," Brennan laughed as his son pinched himself.  
  
"Dad how'd you..." Richard was at a lost for words as his dad parked his car next to a few others.  
  
"Do that?" Brennan finished his son's question. "You'd have to ask Adam. He designed the place."  
  
Brennan led Rich through the familiar hallway to the main floor of sanctuary where Adam, Jesse and Lexa were playing with two kids. A boy with blonde hair, and hazel eyes, while a girl with Lexa's stunning hair and intense green eyes were busying themselves playing with the grown ups.  
  
"BRENNAN!" Jesse smiled taking his best friend into a brotherly hug.  
  
Jesse couldn't believe it had been so long. Time had made the two drift apart and now they had fourteen years to catch up on. So much had happened in his life that he had to yet share with Brennan. Lexa and him finally getting married, and having two kids, Erick and Brianna.  
  
"Hey Jesse, nice to see you bro," Brennan grinned looking over Jesse. "You haven't changed a bit. And Lexa well you've changed!" Brennan hugged what had become his sister. They always fought in the time of Mutant X, and said they hated each other, but at the same time loved each other.  
  
"Are you still stubborn as a mule Brennan?" Lexa teased.  
  
"Hey Adam," Brennan hugged his father figure.  
  
Adam couldn't help but let a tear fall just like when he saw Jesse and Lexa. His kids were now grown up and raising children of their own, and he missed out on it. Fourteen years was a lot to miss out on.  
  
"Wow! Richard is that you?" Jesse said unbelievingly.  
  
Richard gave a friendly smile blushing quite a bit. They all knew him, but he couldn't remember any of them. "Yeah its me," Rich said accepting the friendly handshake from Jesse, and Adam, and hug from Lexa.  
  
"Rich, that's your Uncle Jesse and Aunt Lexa. They took care of you when you were still in diapers," Brennan recalled those years with a big smile.  
  
Rich couldn't remember the last time his father was so genuinely happy. Back at home Brennan would smile, but it wasn't like now. His smiles were fake, and Rich wished this vacation was permanent so his dad could smile like he was now everyday.  
  
"Rich, look, these are your cousins," Jesse said pushing the two kids who had hidden behind him forward.  
  
Brennan knelt down to be eye to eye with the two siblings examining them.  
  
"This is Erick. He's the older of the two. He's ten. And this is..." Jesse picked up the girl clinging to his leg and brought her to the security of his arms. "..Brianna. She's seven."  
  
"Hey buddy. I'm your uncle Brennan," Brennan said nicely as not to scare Erick. Erick looked up at his mom and Lexa smiled nodding her head in approval of the stranger. "Want to give me five?" Brennan held out his hand for a high five.  
  
"Hi..." Erick said shyly before slapping him a high five and running behind Lexa.  
  
"They are so cute!" Brennan smiled.  
  
"Just wait until they get use to you..." Lexa rolled her eyes knowing her 'angels' could turn into 'devils' in a snap.  
  
"How about a tour of this place?" Richard asked looking around the circular domain.  
  
"Right, well where you're standing in right now is the hallway to the rooms, basement, garage, and basically everything. Over there is the computers, there is the living room...and there is the basketball hoop." Adam said.  
  
"Oh hey, is that the hoop that me and Jesse played with when we were here?" Brennan laughed remembering how Jess and him almost broke sanctuary.  
  
"When you guys play, which I know you all will...NO POWERS!" Adam said sternly not wanting a repeat.  
  
**Flashback**  
  
"Hey man I thought you said no powers!" Jesse pouted as Brennan dunked the ball traveling via electricity.  
  
"Ha naw man you said no powers. I just tied you!" Brennan said checking the ball.  
  
"Fine powers it is," Jesse said phasing through Brennan.  
  
The game quickly intensified until both were tired from using their power and trying to outrun the other. Emma and Shalimar found it hilarious that both grown men could act so childish. Suddenly Jesse tripped and under a defense mechanism or something he massed sending granite all over the place. Brennan hardly had a chance to cover himself and the game became dangerous.  
  
"SHAL GET OUT OF HERE!" Brennan said thinking of his unborn child.  
  
Adam came out of the lab so see Jesse laying on the ground red and granite all over the place. Outraged Adam tried to keep from screaming. "What the hell just happened?" Adam more like snarled.  
  
"It's funny really..." Brennan smiled knowing Jess and him both crossed the line.  
  
"Then why am I not laughing?" Adam asked putting his test tube down.  
  
"See we were playing basketball..." Brennan threw the basketball over to Adam. He's aim was bad so the next thing you know the tube spills all over the computer and the computer goes haywire!  
  
"Faster Brennan," Jesse said never seeing Adam so ticked off before. "Faster Brennan before he kicks us out."  
  
"It was more a little practice so we know what our powers are at this standpoint," Brennan stuttered out.  
  
"Next time practice in the dojo..." Adam shook his head. 'Boys will be boys' he thought. He was about to leave when he thought better and took the ball with him.  
  
"Clean this mess up," He called from behind.  
  
**End of Flashback**  
  
"Hey Adam remember that one time?" Jesse started to laugh remembering.  
  
Brennan joined in, but Lexa didn't know what happened. Not being there for half the time took its toll after awhile, missing out on some of the inside jokes.  
  
"Let's continue shall we?" Adam steered them away from the living room and up the stairs to the dining room/kitchen.  
  
"This is the kitchen; you can make anything you want. If you finish anything, you're out getting grocery. Grocery money's up there," Adam pointed to a cookie jar at the top of the cabinet. "That's ONLY grocery money so don't get any funny ideas," once again Adam looked at Brennan and Jesse.  
"Hey Adam, those drinks were well worth it," Brennan said defending himself.  
  
"Mommy, Erick took my 'teddy' and he won't give it back!" Brianna screamed phasing in and out of the walls of sanctuary trying to find her older brother.  
  
"Excuse me...duty calls," Lexa rolled her eyes. She went downstairs searching for her two little 'angels.'  
  
"Don't mind them. They are harmless," Jesse said as he saw his son phase right through Lexa. "Both molecular, Bree's also an elemental. Just like Lexa."  
  
"He's telekinetic, and showing signs of being a molecular," Brennan pointed behind him to Rich.  
  
"I'm what and what?" Rich asked confused.  
  
He never told his dad that he was like him. It was something he hid to himself. The one thing he thought no one knew about. He felt violated that his dad knew about his darkest secret. He couldn't believe he didn't even know about it, without telling him he knew.  
  
"I've seen you trying in your sleep," Brennan explained.  
  
"I'll check later. Meanwhile down stairs," Adam led them downstairs carefully avoiding Erick and Brianna's play area not wanting anyone to phase through him. "This is your room. You don't mind sharing with Erick do you? Just until we could get the other room set up," Adam looked at Rich.  
  
Rich looked around the room. It was familiar. There were little toys that were deserted when the left, it was like a time capsule. (A/N: I 4got which story I stole that from) He started remembering. This was his house.  
  
"Yeah I don't mind," Rich said looking at the two beds, one obviously brought in from another room.  
  
"Great! Dinner's in an hour, why don't you get settled in. You must be tired," Adam and Jesse left Brennan and Rich alone.  
  
Sighing Rich hadn't realized how true Adam was, until he laid down. He threw his duffel bag on the ground and lay down on the bed. Only when he remembered that his dad was still in the room did he open his eyes.  
  
"Man I remember this place like it was yesterday," Brennan said looking around the room. "See that crib over there?" Brennan pointed to the corner where an old crib stood tiredly, paint wearing off.  
  
"Yeah?" Rich looked at it.  
  
"That's yours. This was your nursery. It was always your room," Brennan smiled at the bitter sweet memories. "Your...your mom and me," Brennan felt his voice tighten. "We use to stay in here night and day just to watch you sleep until Adam made us go back to bed."  
  
"Hey dad," Rich started. "Do you miss her?" He could tell that this missed his mom. That this whole place reminded him of memories of her, whoever she may be.  
  
"Yeah I do," Brennan coughed to hide his voice crack. "But it don't matter. Here go take a nap, I'll wake you when dinner's ready."  
  
Rich looked at his dad's leaving form. This place it felt like home. It was home. But something was missing. Thinking, he closed his eyes for what he thought was a minute, but the next thing he knew his dad was waking him up for dinner.  
  
"You in the mood for Chinese food?" Adam said looking towards Rich.  
  
"I'm fine with anything," Rich yawned.  
  
"Richard, you sleep a lot," Erick said shyly smiling picking at his food.  
  
"Only because I'm tired," Rich stretched right before digging into his food.  
  
"You know Rich doesn't have a bad idea with the sleeping thing," Jesse told his son. "You should try it sometime instead of just watching television and torturing your sister."  
  
Erick was about to say something when someone standing at the top of the stairs caught their attention.  
  
Jesse looked up with a smile on his face. He excused himself from the table to go hug his sister. To hug his best friend since he was a teenager. He got up to hug Shalimar.  
  
"SHALIMAR!" Adam smiled getting up to hug his daughter. "I didn't know you were coming. I thought you were caught up at work."  
  
Shalimar couldn't help but notice Brennan, and even Rich. Her son was grown up. He was a spitting image of Brennan. Dark hair, and intense brown eyes. All she wanted to do was hug Rich, and kiss Brennan.  
  
"Hey Lexa," Shal said hugging what had become her best friend in the last few years of Mutant X.  
  
And then came Brennan. Everyone felt the tension in the room. It was so thick you could have taken a machete knife and sliced your way through it. The quietness seem to last forever even though it was only a few seconds. Rich looked at his dad, and then at the strange lady in front of him. He felt a connection with this one person more than any one else in the room. Like he should know him her.  
  
"Hey Shal," Brennan said awkwardly.  
  
"Hey Brennan," Shalimar said just as awkwardly as if experiencing her voice for the first time.  
  
"Who's that handsome kid right next to you?" Shalimart asked shaking her nervousness away.  
  
"Richard," Brennan said. Shal felt her voice get caught in her throat. It was really him. Last time she saw her baby he was learning to talk, and now here he is. And he didn't remember.  
  
"Hey dad who's that?" Richard asked looking at the lady waiting for his dad to introduce him.  
  
"She's umm...well she's..." Brennan didn't know how to tell him...  
  
A/N: Evil aren't I? LOL jp jp. Thanks for all the reviews! And I'm sorry I freaked up Brennan's name. Oopsie. Yeah thanks for catching that. Well I did my job, how bout you do your job. That's the way it works right?? Well Hope your liking the story as much as I like writing it. If anyone got any ideas you want to drop, just tell me in your review. Thanks  
  
~Liz 


	3. Listening

A/N: Thanks for the reviews and once again thanks to Tigereyes320 for pointing out my mistake. So you guys are actually liking it. That's great cuz I'm stuck but hopefully my muse will come back from vacation but until then here's a really crappy chapter for all of you who can't wait.  
  
"Richard, you know at dinner?" Erick asked from the other side of the room.  
  
Richard turned around to face the younger boy knowing he wouldn't be able to sleep with this talkative boy in the same room with him. He didn't want to be mean because he had already taken an immediate liking to the boy. He always wondered what it would be like to have a little brother.  
  
"Yeah," Rich answered looking toward the Erick who was busying himself with a rubric's cube.  
  
"Who was that lady? The one my dad and mom was hugging?" He said concentrating on the cube.  
  
Who was that lady, the same question had been running through his mind the whole night. Before his dad could say anything Adam excused everyone from the table. Rich was unanimously voted to be the babysitter for the rest of the night. And although he had questions running through his head he couldn't take an eye off the two siblings or else they would have been at each others throat.  
  
Rich turned on the light to give Erick a better advantage. "I don't know. Why?"  
  
"I was wondering because she looks like you," Erick said throwing the rubric's cube aside and looking at Rich. "I mean for the most part you look like your dad, but I don't know you look like her."  
  
"Erick, my mom died in a car accident when I was two," Rich said getting defensive.  
  
"Whatever. I'm going to bed night Rich," Erick said as if not believing him.  
  
Rich looked at the now sleeping boy and looked up at the glow in the dark star filled room. It still looked like a nursery. He recalled dinner and how everyone was acting. His dad's eyes showed pain, and he wasn't keeping eye contact which was weird because he always kept eye contact.  
  
Richard fell into an uneasy sleep tossing and turning. He woke up sweating and tangled within his sheets. He looked over at Erick who woke up because of his mumbling. Erick had a worried look on his face.  
  
"Are you ok?" Erick asked not knowing that adults had bad dreams too.  
  
"Yeah I'm fine, just go back to sleep," Rich sighed kicking the covers off. There was no way he could get back to sleep. Not with that dream.  
  
He sighed walking to the bathroom in the dimly lit sanctuary. The place was quieter than usual and it felt as if no one was up. He turned a corner and he saw the lab full of adults. Adults his father trusted. His father included. He couldn't help but feed his curiosity. He sat in the darkest corner and heard everything that was going on.  
  
"Brennan is everyone asleep?" Adam asked meaning Rich, Erick, and Brianna.  
  
"Not for long. Rich is having another nightmare. Don't make this long because he might wake up," Brennan replied choosing the corner of the room to sit away from Shalimar.  
  
Jesse and Lexa shared a look as Shalimar's feral eyes glowed at Brennan. Deciding to change the subject he looked up at the screen. "So what are we dealing with? Are people killing new mutants? How about doing more experiments?" Jesse asked looking at the big computer screen.  
  
"You'd think that's why the Dominion needs us. However that's not it. We are dealing with mutants killing humans. The next Hitler if you want to call him or her. Whoever it is had already killed ninety some people." Adam said bringing up the file.  
  
"Wait what makes the Dominion know that it's really new mutants and not some crazy people with no lives?" Lexa asked getting up from the friendly confines of her husband's lap and heading towards the screen looking at the pictures closely.  
  
Look closely at everyone," Adam pointed to the screen.  
  
"Yeah it looks like they've been dissected from the inside," Brennan shuddered.  
  
"That's what the dominion called us here for. They can't get anyone within one hundred feet of these guys. Every time they seem to get close their guys are mysteriously vanish and they find them dead a couple of days later," Adam sighed knowing the hardest part is yet to come.  
  
"So what makes them think we can?" Jesse asked.  
  
"Not you..." Everyone looked confused. Why else would they be there? "See these mutants are around Richard's age..." Everyone looked straight at Brennan who looked straight at Adam.  
  
For years Brennan had kept Rich out of trouble. He went through everything to hide his past. He worked hard to keep Rich out of the Dominions radar and to keep Rich out of the underground. There was no way he was going to put his son in danger. Rich was all Brennan had.  
  
"Wait!" Brennan objected. "You're not going to bring my son into this right? You're not thinking what I think your thinking."  
  
"It's the one way Brennan. I know how you must feel," Jesse said quietly thanking god it wasn't Erick who was needed or even Brianna.  
  
At that moment both Lexa and Jesse felt extremely selfish. Here there best friend's son was about to be put in danger and they were thankful it wasn't their children. What was wrong with them? All the times they needed Brennan he was there in a heartbeat. Where are they now when Brennan needed them the most? Thanking God it wasn't their children.  
  
"This isn't your son we are talking about here!" Brennan said harshly.  
  
"This is OUR son though," Shalimar said carefully.  
  
Brennan laughed out disgusted. "In what fucking way Shalimar do you have the right to call him your son? Because you carried him for six months? I took care of his for fourteen years Shal. Tell me how many times any of you went to his soccer games or baseball or anything? Where the hell were you when he was mutating? Adam was in some god damn place, Jesse and Lexa; well we all know where the hell they were. But I don't care they weren't there because Rich wasn't their responsibility, but guess what Shal he was...and now he isn't.  
  
There was a silence between the five adults. In some way what Brennan said was true. Rich was raised by Brennan single handedly. No one helped. Shalimar was out with her new life. Jesse and Lexa were raising Erick and Brianna. Rich was all Brennan had for over ten years and to take him away from Brennan, well it's just wrong.  
  
"But we care about him," Adam said carefully choosing his words.  
  
"So what? Do we send someone? Do we send Richard out there? He doesn't even know who Mutant X is Adam. What if he gets in too deep? What happens if we can't pull him out? Or even worse what happens if they suspect him?" Brennan asked looking at every single person in the room.  
  
"Everyone's here to make sure that doesn't happen," Adam said calmly.  
  
"We need him. He's part of the team. If not this way Bren, then how? Do we keep killing innocent people because that's what we are going to be doing if we let this keep going," Lexa told Brennan.  
  
"What happens if he can't do it? Brennan sighed sitting down taking his head in the comfort of his hands.  
  
"He will be able to do it," Shalimar said.  
  
"How do you know?" Brennan looked up wanting to blame someone for his anger. "Were you ever there! How do you know what he can and cannot do?"  
  
"I may not have been there Brennan, but I trust you enough to be able to raise the kid the right way," Shal started her eyes once again glowing yellow.  
  
"Then why did you leave! If you trust me why the fuck did you leave me with a kid? You know I couldn't handle it. Shal, you knew how scared I was. You knew I couldn't handle it. You...nevermind just forget it" Brennan sighed knowing he wasn't getting anywhere.  
  
Richard had enough of it. He came out of the darkness and into the lab. He looked at his dad who instantly regretted everything he said. And to well his mom who looked just as confused and hurt as he did.  
  
"So you couldn't handle me? You didn't want me?" Rich said looking at Brennan.  
  
Brennan looked up to see the confusion on his son's face. He found a heart wrenching look on his face as it contorted in confusion. Everyone looked at Brennan and then at Rich.  
  
"I can explain. Please just listen to me," Brennan screamed chasing after his son's retreating body.  
  
"Forget it dad. I'll pretend I never heard it in the morning," Rich said walking faster.  
  
He closed the door firmly to his room. Erick was still asleep. He pretended to sleep when his door opened a few minutes later but he knew he couldn't. Not after what he found out. And for the first time he cried. No noise came out but he cried his eyes out. Tears stained his pillow as he came to grip with reality. His dad never even wanted him. He didn't sleep that night. He whipped the ball at the door using his power to stop it in midair. He was careful knowing not to wake up Erick or anyone else. But he didn't know how to handle it. His whole life just changed.  
  
He heard some noise outside it wasn't big and it took someone like him to hear. But he heard. He dried his already dried eyes and ran his fingers through his hair. Erick was still asleep so he quietly sneaked out of the room letting the little kid get some sleep.  
  
"It's five thirty in the morning. Isn't it illegal for a teenager to be up before noon on a Saturday?" Adam asked looking up at the kitchen clock.  
  
Richard grabbed bottled water from the fridge and sat across from Adam watching him sip his coffee.  
  
"Couldn't sleep," Rich said taking a sip. Sanctuary was quiet. It was only them talking right now. "So what's this place?"  
  
Adam sighed knowing he was the one who needed to answer Rich's questions. He was their leader it was only fair to Brennan. "Sanctuary, it's where Mutant X use to live."  
  
"And my dad and uh everyone else here is...was Mutant X?" Rich asked.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"So why did my mom and dad fuck up each others life?" Rich asked the one question that's been bugging him since forever.  
  
"Number one, do all of us a favor and don't cuss when Brianna and Erick are awake. Number two, I don't know why your parents ended the way they did. You'd have to ask them. I just woke up one day and Shalimar was gone. Woke up the next you and Brennan were gone." Adam said getting up from the table and putting his cup into the sink.  
  
"I heard everything last night you know," Rich said not looking at Adam.  
  
Adam kept walking with a wise smile on his face. "I know, so I trust you have your decision already."  
  
Rich looked up surprised. Adam knew before he even said anything. "So where are you going?" Rich asked getting up from the table too.  
  
"The med lab. I need to run some test on you, Brianna, and Erick. You want to help me set up?" Adam asked offering an invite.  
  
"Yeah sure, I mean if you want me to," Rich had taken an immediate liking to Adam. He had come to respect him despite the fact they only knew each other for a few hours.  
  
Over the next couple of hours while everyone slept Adam taught Rich all that Rich wanted to know about the lab. He was surprised when Rich caught on so well about everything. In only two hours he caught up with everything the others knew about the lab. He was just as educated.  
  
"Hey why so ear...Hey Rich," Brennan said uncertainly.  
  
"Hey dad you want me to cook you some breakfast?" Rich ask pretending nothing ever happened the night before.  
  
"Uh sure breakfast would be great," Brennan said patting his son on the back as he passed.  
  
"So what'd you tell him?" Brennan asked once it was just him and Adam.  
  
"The truth," Adam told Brennan. "Sit down, I might as well scan you guys while I'm at it."  
  
Brennan sighed and obeyed taking off his shirt to be scanned. "What would the truth be?"  
  
"You owe it to him to tell him yourself," Adam told Brennan. "Quit squirming. You know he knows as much of this lab as you do?"  
  
"For real? It took me like five years to do that," Brennan said.  
  
Brennan wasn't surprised though. He knew his son was smart. Smarter than most kids his age. Rich was different from everyone else is own age. Besides the fact he had different abilities than everyone else his brain was also well it functioned differently.  
  
"So when are you going to tell him?" Adam asked.  
  
"Now," Brennan said getting up.  
  
A/N: I'm sorry this chapter just dragged but I needed to set everything up. I did my part however lets be nice and do you parts. No flames please, just constructive criticsm. I'll spell it right before the end of the story. Trust me. Thanks to all the faithful readers trust me you guys aren't going unnoticed.  
  
~Liz 


	4. a scrapbook

A/N: Wellpz not so many reviews this time around, but I still reach my goal. I guess I owe you guyz for such a bad chapter. I just well I like starting ideas and I'm bad at finishing, but well oopsies. I'll try to make this one longer for you guys.  
  
"So well I guess I owe you some kind of explanation huh Ritchie boy?" Brennan asked nervously. Looking down at his feet.  
  
He raised his kid as normal as he could get Rich. Brennan rarely showed his powers to anyone and his son didn't even find out until he was six. To throw him into his past without any warning, well it wasn't fair. How was he going to train his son to be good enough to fool "the next Hitler?" His son had a sheltered childhood and he made sure of it. But he also made sure his son knew well enough to not take any kind of bull shit from anyone.  
  
"Dad I get it. You don't need to tell me nothing," Rich looked everywhere besides his dad.  
  
He felt betrayed. Rich tried to hide the hurt and the pain, but he knew he couldn't, not from the one person who stood by him throughout everything. He trusted his dad, with his life, with his old life...or the one that had to do with "military service." What he heard last night wasn't his heroic father that he use to hear stories about before going to bed. He was a criminal. He was human.  
  
"Yeah I do," Brennan led his son to the dojo where it overlooked pretty much almost all of sanctuary.  
  
He was going back to the beginning, back to when there was no dominion. He was going to tell his son of a time when Lexa wasn't there, and Adam hadn't betrayed their trust. He was going to tell of a time when Emma was alive and back even further to when he was still living on the street pulling jobs to make ends meet. It was his past he was going back to. A past he promised himself his son would never have to go through. A past only he knew to tell properly. It was his past.  
  
"Before when I was your age, I use to live on the streets," Brennan started not knowing really where to go from there. It was important for it to be in chronological order. "No, go before that. I was about six years old when my whole life changed. My dad, he went off to Vietnam, so I didn't really see him growing up. After a few years my dad was suppose to return home and he never did. He was one of them people 'missing in action,'" Brennan fidgeted with a tennis ball he somehow found. "Anyways, soon after that, I got really sick. You know what leukemia is?" Rich nodded waiting for his father to continue. "Anyways I had that, and I was really sick..."  
  
"Dad you don't look like you ever had cancer," Rich interrupted.  
  
"I did, my mom was desperate and there was people who kept persisting my mom go to Genomex for help. That's where I met Adam for the first time. They told my mom they'd pay for everything if she gave up guardianship of me to them," Brennan coughed struggling with his old memories. "Anyways my mom says yeah, and that was the last time I hear of her. Adam had a best friend named Ekhart, who was the bad one of the two. Adam was trying to find a cure, but he made a mistake, and somehow I got this power," Brennan's fingers lit with tesa-coils. Slowly they died out. "I don't know, they ran tests and experiments, and I felt like a lab rat. So I ran. That place was a torture chamber. I swore to myself I'd never let my kid experience that shit. I lived around. By this time I was around 14. The next two years I lived on the street learning how to do things without and with my powers. I used them to my advantage when I could. They got me jobs easier. And each time the jobs got harder and harder. Before you knew it I was in over my head.  
  
Well then one night I'm at a bar and this woman bumped into me. She looked like she was in a hurry. She projected something in my mind. Like I had a kinetic bond with her. Turns out she was a new mutant too. Genomex was after her. I thought I'd never see her again. Usually when Genomex wants something they get it. But one night one of my 'friends' ratted me out and before you knew it I was back at Genomex. They made me an 'agent' against my will really. My first job was to go with someone and go bust a mutant x safe house. That's really where I first met your uncle Jesse. After I failed to kill him Ekhart was pissed so he took me and wanted to kill me. Emma, Jesse, Adam, and uh Shalimar came to save me.  
  
They took me under their wing, and helped me gain my life back into prospective. For the first time in my life I belonged somewhere. I never wanted to overstay my welcome, but pretty soon this was the place I called home. These people became my family. My friends from the past no longer existed. I guess a friendship evolved into love after a couple of years. Then one mission went wrong, don't ask me what. Anyways, that's really when I saw your mom as more than a friend. I lost Emma and Adam on that day and Lexa came to us for the very first time. It wasn't a warm welcome. For the next year it was only me, Shalimar, Lexa, and Jesse. I fell for Shalimar so hard that year. I was ready to give her my heart. In fact I did.  
  
Adam came back after that year. Mutant X was starting to get back on track like we use to be. I got closer to Shalimar, she started being my whole life. One day she told about you. I remember, I was eating breakfast, Jesse's pancakes, and I was about to go drink some orange juice when she came in half smiling half frowning tears coming down from her eyes. I thought she was sick or something so I asked her what was wrong. And she just smiled at me. Like you were too good to say. She whispered it. From then on out you and her were my life. But then a few months before you were due Shalimar, tried to go save a friend..."  
  
"Wait she went to go save a friend WHILE she was pregnant? Wait that's so stupid!" Rich said indecorously.  
  
"No it's heroic. She was willing to risk her life for someone else. Anyways, she got hurt in the process. Hurt bad, and we weren't even sure she was going to make it. Adam told me if we kept you in there you would have died. So I decided to take you out. There was an emergency c-section. And all I could think about was let them live. Listen Shalimar was my life, Rich. I don't know if you get that but someday you will. Someday you'll love someone with all your heart and you would be ready to do anything for that person. She was the one. I knew that the one thing she cared about wasn't her life, but her baby. Shalimar wanted you to be handled first.  
  
Afterwards, Shalimar was under strict orders of bed rest for like a month, and you, well you were on your own. You were young and anything could have happened. You couldn't have died though. You were our symbol of love. We created you. We watched you protecting you from anything. You were going downhill. You were so weak it was almost to the point of no hope. But you slowly got better. You slowly got healthier. Pretty soon you were like normal babies, annoying and golden.  
  
Everything at sanctuary was ok again. That is until Adam and Lexa gets into a fight with the dominion, the people we are working with, and the dominion tells us we are no longer needed.  
  
After 5 years of being together day in and day out, they expected us to leave and go back with normal human contact. And after just thinking about it I thought I couldn't live without Shalimar..."  
  
"You weren't married?" Rich asked again interrupting his father.  
  
"No...anyways, I looked up a home big enough for two kids, a dog, plus me and Shalimar. I got her a ring. I decided my proposal wouldn't be anything fancy and elegant. I called her into my room the day before Jesse and Lexa planned on leaving. I told her, 'Shalimar I love you and Richard with all my heart,' but before I could continue she stopped me. She told me it wouldn't work out. Before I could even ask her what she meant she left the room. I guess she uhh..." Brennan's voice broke. "she left that night, leaving behind a note and a two year old. It said something about being a good father and someday I'll see why she left.  
  
It was too painful when you asked me when you were younger where your mom was. Kept asking who she was. The thing is that I didn't know where your mom was. I know how hard it is growing up without a mom and I know every kid needs one. Every time I had a friend over your eyes would turn dark and mutter that's not mom and go to your room. The biggest problem though was money. There wasn't enough to keep the house, but I wanted to keep it. To hold onto memories we have. The one's you and me have. So I got a new job, one with me working flexiable hours and you having to manage yourself.  
  
I'm sorry you had to grow up without a mom, kiddo. I tried my best and I know it's no excuse to punish you," Brennan sighed.  
  
"Hey dad...you were great. You did fine dad," Rich went over to hug his dad who was fighting back tears, and wiping the ones that escaped. "Dad I love you, you got that? And to me there's no better dad out there besides the one sitting in front of me right now," Rich said feeling uncomfortable during such a touching moment.  
  
"Thanks Richard, you don't know how happy I am to hear that," Brennan smiled hugging his son.  
  
"Good," Rich teased ruining the moment.  
  
They smiled and looked around sanctuary. Meanwhile Shalimar hid behind the wall listening to everything Brennan had said. She made a mistake. She thought Brennan was going to break up with her. She couldn't handle a baby. She wasn't ready. The kid needed a good life. Rich needed Brennan. In the middle of the night she said her goodbyes to her sleeping family. The only one to see her leave was her son. Her son cried when she said goodbye. Almost knowing that Shalimar wouldn't be coming back anytime soon. Her life was going to change once she left the confines of sanctuary. Her once safe home was no longer a place of welcome. She always knew this day was coming. She just never knew it wouldn't be with Brennan.  
  
She had loved him. Brennan was her life. Every night she had dreams that her knight in shining armor would come and rescue her from her fake life. All the little things reminded her of Brennan. She watched thunderstorms thinking it was the only way to feel a little of the something she left and barely could live without. She cried for him, she cried for her son. She left them for them to have a good life because she was afraid of getting hurt. If she only knew what was going through Brennan's head she would have had a happy ending to her Mutant X era. But it was sad, painful, even torture knowing her son was growing up without her, that the love of her life was living again without her.  
  
There were times she picked up the phone dialed, and hung up scared about what Brennan would say. She always promised herself the next day, she'll see them the next day. But days past, then weeks, then months, then years, and as they passed it got harder and harder to call. It got easier to forget. In time she learned to live again, but always regretting not living with the two people who mattered most.  
  
She let a lone tear escape her eye trailing down her face before sulking to her room. She gently closed the door so no one could hear her. Looking around the room it was just like she left it. Pictures of Richard and the rest of Mutant X lied messily on the desk as the untouched scrapbook laid restlessly ready to live again. Shalimar and Brennan started the project when Rich was born, they never really finished it. Something about it caught Shal's eye and so she walked over to it. The cover was lacking something. There was a blank space where a picture was suppose to be.  
  
Flashback  
  
"Shalimar what are you doing?" Brennan asked as Shalimar attempted to stick a picture of the team and Brennan and Shalimar holding Rich on the front cover of the scrapbook.  
  
They've been working on it since last week and they got three pages done. They never really seem to focus and when they really do, either A) a mission comes up or B) Richard started crying. This was the longest they've ever been at it for a long period of time...one hour.  
  
"Putting this picture on the cover," Shal said as she unsuccessfully centered the picture.  
  
"It's not special enough. Shal the front and the last page need to be like you know...indescribable. I mean we are talking about the first thing and the last thing you see here. This is like the first five and the last five minutes of a movie," Brennan continued.  
  
"Ok well how do we know if it's 'special' enough?" Shalimar rolled her eyes.  
  
"You don't really know. It just kind of pops out and is like...," Brennan struggled with his words.  
  
"Indescribable?" Shal offered rolling her eyes.  
  
"Indescribable..." Brennan leaned over to kiss Shalimar, and that was the last time they had time for the scrapbook.  
  
End of flashback  
  
"Indescribable," Shalimar repeated remembering the conversation.  
  
Shalimar flipped through the scrapbook. Every possible memory was squashed into the book. It was full of collages, and different memories they each recalled. Ironically only the first and last pages were unfinished, but the pictures scattered were those they were willing to take into consideration. Their life was in those pictures. The life only they knew about. The one only they could recall correctly.  
  
Hours later someone knocked on the door and a soft voice called for her as not to disturb the feral. "Shalimar?" the deep voice said once again.  
  
It's funny how Jesse knew her better than anyone else. Brennan didn't know her as much as Jesse and even though they haven't seen each other in so long he still knew when something was bugging her. When it was only her and Jesse they depended on each other to survive out there fighting agents and such. They knew each other's weaknesses and most embarrassing moments. Shalimar would give her life up in a heartbeat to save Jesse. And Jess would too. There were few people who could say that about their friendship and go through with it, and they were one of the few.  
  
"Go away Jesse," Shalimar sighed knowing even he couldn't protect her from this.  
  
"Open the door Shalimar," Jess called out again.  
  
"Please go away Jesse?" Shal said sighing knowing he wasn't going anywhere.  
  
Jesse phased through the door and walked over to where Shalimar was standing. "Ah, the scrapbook. I remember this old thing," Jesse said deciding to make a little small talk.  
  
"Yeah, pretty much finished," Shal said sadly.  
  
"No, the first and the last page aren't done. And you can always start a new one," Jesse flipped through the pages recalling the same memories Shal did minutes before. He sighed closing the book and looking at his sister.  
  
He wanted to take the pain away. His sister never deserved any kind of pain. She's been through enough. But she also needed to face him and their son sometime. How could he possibly choose between his sister and his best friend? Especially something he didn't know anything about. She is hurting just as much as he is. And in a way she asked for it, but still she didn't deserve it.  
  
"So what's up Shal? Why'd you leave him...them?" Jesse said sitting on the bed motioning for her to sit next to him.  
  
Shalimar sighed and started telling him everything. Her fears and her dreams, all her regrets everything she kept inside for so long. She finally got it out. And Jesse listened wiping away the occasionally tears and hugging her giving her comfort she needed. Jesse knew Shalimar was hurting but he never knew she was hurting this badly. And this time he can't protect Shalimar from this. He couldn't.  
  
"Funny thing isn't it Jesse?" Shal said standing up from Jesse's protective chest and wiping her tears.  
  
"What's funny?" Jess asked looking at Shalimar who was trying to recompose herself to be the confident feral everyone assumed she was.  
  
"How the one thing that kept us together is the same thing that tore us apart. Mutant X...we met through Mutant X, we worked and lived together. I mean this team was all we ever had going for us. But once it tore apart, we did too," She responded looking at one of the pictures of the old team, the one with Emma in it.  
  
"We never tore apart Shalimar, not one of us did," Jesse told her.  
  
"Yeah we did Jess. I mean besides you and Lexa, who else have you stayed in contact with all these years. I didn't get one call from you, and I didn't give you guys one call. We all went our separate ways. Maybe we weren't as strong as we thought we were," Shal rationally explained.  
  
"Here's our chance to fix everything Shalimar. Tell Brennan what you told me. I mean he still loves you. He always loved you. Don't you think sixteen years without a mom is too long? Sixteen years without a son is too long isn't it Shalimar? They both need you now more than ever." Jesse knew he was right.  
  
"What if they don't?" Shal asked uncertainly. She couldn't stand one more heart break, she just couldn't.  
  
"Stop with the 'what if's' Shal. That's what got you here in the first place. Listen, it's up to you to take my advice, but isn't it better knowing than wondering what if your whole life?" With that Jesse left the room letting Shalimar think.  
  
Jesse was right. She needed this as much as they did. She needed to take this risk. No matter what the consequence she needed to know. This was her second chance to make everything right again. After giving herself the confidence she needed to decided to take a quick shower and then head out of her room to face her son, and the love of her life.  
  
A/N: ok I really struggled with this chapter. Please give me a review! I personally worked harder on this chapter being better than the rest and I even set aside some homework time for this. Tell me if you like it. Tell me what I have to improve on, as I know one person will. And please no flames. I decided to make their thoughts and everything one chapter. Please note that this is a last minute addition since the other chapter was pretty bad. Ok I'm done blabbering. Reviews por favor. And do me another favor. Update all your stories, cuz chances are I'm reading.  
  
..::Liz::.. 


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